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[MAGNUS]I clear my throat, bracing myself for the words I’m about to say. “A wedding I do not approve of. I’d rather have my sister marry you.”Rasmus frowns, his gaze unwavering as he studies my face. “That was direct,” he mutters, the words almost swallowed by the growls coming from Alina’s cell. I shrug, but keep my voice firm as I reply, “I’m an emissary of the council now. It is my job to improve ties with other kingdoms.”“Through a marriage…” Rasmus echoes, his tone thoughtful. His gaze drops to the floor as he shakes his head. “To Qaiven? My councilors wouldn’t approve. We’re a neutral kingdom. And marriage is a hasty task… Besides, I don’t want to interfere with the trade.”For some reason, his words ignite a flicker of hope in me. “Is that the only reason? Does that mean you’d consider Ruelle?”“Only reason?” he repeats, this time with a mocking grin. “Well, those are the ones I can think of right now,” he answers, the words almost playful. “Frankly, marriage doesn’t intere
[ELARA]I’ll run away.Ruelle’s words echo in my mind long after she’s gone. There can’t be any seriousness to them, but I saw the determination in her eyes.Where will she go if she truly runs away? And how far can she go before she’s caught?Eldric won’t let her off so easily, and perhaps after discovering her attempt to escape, he will claim her a traitor and punish her. Anything in his capacity to humiliate and hurt Magnus.And Magnus? How will he take this? There’s no way Magnus will know of Ruelle’s plan and actually let it be successful. He wouldn’t pick this over letting her marry Zander.And there are far more dangerous things out there for a princess on the run…‘Don’t tell Magnus,’ Lila voices her advice, making me gasp.This isn’t something I can keep from him. Can I?‘Don’t you care for Ruelle?’ are Lila’s next words. ‘She doesn’t want him to know.’Of course, Ruelle doesn’t want Magnus to know about this. But that doesn’t make it right.A rustle from behind me pulls me ou
[ELARA]Ruelle refuses to meet my eyes during dinner. She eats quietly, almost as if the meal is a duty, not a comfort. Her fingers tremble as she grips her fork, and I notice the way she keeps her hands close to her lap, her shoulders slouching, as if trying to make herself smaller beside the Queen Mother. Even when Princess Daphne tries to strike up conversation, Ruelle’s responses are clipped, distant — just a single word falling from her lips like she’s afraid she’ll slip up her plan. I’m not the only one who notices the change in her demeanor, Magnus does too — but I’m most certainly the only one who knows the reason behind it. Magnus must think this has to do with her marriage with Zander. Soon, the conversation at the table shifts from delicacies in Wyvern, to the wedding preparations, and Ruelle pales visibly. It is Daphne who begins the topic. “Why are you marrying off your only niece with such haste, Your Grace?” she asks Eldric with a smile. Only Daphne can dare to questi
[ELARA]The heavy doors to Magnus’ chambers close behind us with a soft thud, echoing through the dimly lit room. The silence between us feels suffocating. Magnus stands near the hearth, his back to me, his shoulders still taut with anger. I know the source of that tension, but I also know that’s not all that’s weighing on him.Prince Rasmus knowing the truth about the hydralith and Alina. Valen following us into the woods. The murder of the council member who trusted him. Morgana’s disappearance. Eldric’s harsh words. Zander’s ploy to force me into poisoning him when he barely made it out alive the last time he was poisoned… only because of Morgana’s help.A sigh escapes my lips as I think of how much easier things would’ve been right now if Morgana was here. Her powers could help solve so much… Alina. Ruelle too, perhaps?Could I burden Magnus now with what Ruelle told me? When he’s already being crushed under the weight of everything else?Perhaps it is best if Ruelle runs away… if
[ELARA]To the few members of my pack who accompanied my family to Caelondor, Alina’s death remains a brutal mystery. The funeral is a small affair held on the coast of the Cursed Gulf where Alina’s body is burned on a wooden pyre. There’s a moment where I realize I’ve attended more funerals than feasts since my arrival in this kingdom, and a cold shiver runs through me. The Goddess is cursing us, the strange thought enters my mind. What wrong have I done though?It dawns on me with mockery that I barely have been granted a chance to act on my own. I have truly become a pawn in a game that began decades ago in this land that’s still so foreign to me. Eldric doesn’t care to show up. Not even for a performance. Queen Seraphina is brought to the pyre, but she doesn’t stay long, her eyes welling up with tears as she likely recalls the funeral of her own son, Kian. The rest gathered speak in whispers, discussing the most probable cause of Alina’s death. From what I hear, the most favored
[ELARA]The council chamber takes me by surprise the moment I first step into it. The very air here feels different — it’s heavy, and it stinks of schemes and twisted betrayals. As I watch the painted ceiling with awe, depicting history spanning centuries, I wonder how much of it is real, and how much is glorified. Eldric sits at the head of the table, his face twisted with fury, his eyes locked onto Ruelle. Around him, the council members murmur amongst themselves, their voices low but pointed. Lady Celia sits on the far end, her gaze fixed on her lap, while Queen Seraphina stares blankly ahead, seeing nothing, but hearing it all. My gaze shifts to the right end of the table, where a massive sand clock sits atop an ornate pedestal — newly installed, by the look of it. The sand inside isn’t the usual pale golden hue but swirls of deep purple that shimmer as they fall in a slow, measured cascade. It’s strange and beautiful, almost hypnotic. I wonder if it’s meant to symbolize time sl
[ELARA]My thoughts keep me awake through the night, but beside me, Magnus sleeps. And he sleeps well. His chest rises and falls with a steady rhythm, his features softened in the quiet peace of slumber. There’s no tension in his brow, no restless stirring. It’s as if a great burden has been lifted off him, and I know exactly why.He’s unburdened — glad of the move he made. His sister is now betrothed to Prince Rasmus of Qaiven, a calculated maneuver that ensures Ruelle’s safety. He believes her future is secure, that she will be protected. For Magnus, it is a victory, another checkmate in his game of strategy. I’ve watched him over the past few nights, restless and brooding, pacing the room in the dead of night, his thoughts as troubled as mine. But not tonight.Tonight, he sleeps like a baby.And yet, I am wide awake, left to question everything about his choice.It was a cruel way to go about it. Ruelle’s reputation is ruined. There’s no taking back the whispers that now circulate t
[ELARA]The light seeps through the cracks in the curtains, and I watch the sun rise higher into the sky. I haven’t slept. Not a blink. The hours have passed in silence, but my mind has been loud — too loud. I’ve spent most of the night wrestling with myself, trying to make sense of this knot of anger, grief, and blame I’ve tangled myself in. I keep circling back to the same thoughts, and it’s all centered around Magnus, as if fighting with him in my head will give me answers.But I know the truth. I’m not really angry with Magnus. He didn’t kill Alina. He didn’t put the dagger in her chest. Still, the fury sits just beneath my skin, restless and aching. I should be grieving for my stepsister. Instead, I’m searching for someone or something to blame.It wasn’t the right decision.Those words keep echoing in my mind. I can’t stop them. I replay everything over and over, hoping for a different outcome. If I’d done something different, would Alina still be alive? If Magnus had refused to
[MAGNUS]“Stay with me.”It’s a plea more than anything. I can’t bear the thought of losing Elara. The thought of her dying because I began to care for her. There’s no way to draw out the silver faster. It can take days… weeks.Silver. The most potent weapon to kill our kind. An silver tipped arrow lodged into her chest, just inches away from her heart. She could’ve been dead. But she isn’t. There has to be some purpose to this, right? Another cruel fate woven by the Moon Goddess?The healers know nothing. Rather, they know little of this. Their abilities are limited to what is approved by nature. What is permitted to be done within the confines of Caelondor. But Morgana? She can dive into alchemy, drawn upon dark magic — magic that saved Elara from becoming a rogue. She can take my blood again. Goddess, she can take my life if it means saving Elara’s.I’m about to go looking for Morgana when she appears at the edge of the bed. Not as herself, but as Talisa. But the glimmer of red in
[MAGNUS]“To the Royal Annoyance (my beloved brother), Magnus,Summer in Qaiven is brutal. I don’t know why I thought coming here was a good idea… Hold on, I’m only jesting! I have almost made up my mind to never leave. This place is wonderful just as you described from your varied visits for the Grand Conclave. And no, I’m not talking of the observatories of alchemists, or the quiet art galleries you love! The port of Vynov is certainly the grandest — the one in Caelondor pales shamefully in comparison. The streets are filled with people from all over the continent! Can you believe, I’ve already made friends with a High Lady who runs a brothel? Oh, Magnus. Unsaddle your horse. Of course, that is a jest, too. Your goons are keeping me perfectly safe from any danger that could be lurking. Frankly, the idea of never coming back to Caelondor is tempting. But so is the urge to bring you a barrel of blueberries only to see you scowl. Can you please start liking them? They’re the loveliest
[MAGNUS]Every single pair of eyes in the council room is fixed on me. This isn’t the first time I’ve been a subject of their collective gazes, but this is clearly the first time I’ve cowered under it. I keep my head bowed low, projecting the emotion I feel — heartbreak for Ruelle’s betrayal and disappointment in my inability to find her. But this won’t support my claim — the claim I’ve put forward in front of the council. “They were attacked in the woods, and Ruelle was taken away.”I should be angry, aggravated, thrashing anything and everything in my way. I should be making statements of how I’ll make those who took her suffer. Anything to make my words more believable. Anything for Eldric to believe that Ruelle didn’t run away to escape her marriage. But I fail. I fail to grasp control of my own actions, of my movements. The mate bond pulls strongly at me, and I grit my teeth, holding back the pain Elara is suffering that I now experience too. The questions that trickle into m
[MAGNUS]Everything happens in a haze. One moment I’m standing too confused on all fours wondering what odd twist of fate has occurred and how I find myself with a mate once again — the mate being Elara, of all people. And the next, all the air has been emptied from my lungs as I watch the arrow hiss through the air and lodge into her wolf form’s neck. As she collapses to the ground, her body shifts back into her human form. When I reach her, I’m human once again — not even realizing when the command reverberated through my mind. Blood trickles down her skin, pooling at her collarbone, as I hold her up in my lap. Creed howls at the pain his mate is experiencing but I’m too shocked, too numb to do anything. “Elara,” her name finally escapes my lips in a choked whisper. “Elara, please…”My hand hovers over the wound, but I’m not even sure what to do. She’s dying, I think as I press down gently, desperate to stop the flow, but it only seeps through my fingers.I try to breathe, but th
[LILA]Lila races through the dense forest, her paws striking the earth with relentless speed. The world around her is a blur, the scents of moss and bark barely registering as she focuses solely on the chase. Ahead, the blue-eyed wolf’s scent grows fainter, but Lila pushes herself harder, determined to close the distance. Her instincts scream at her to catch up, to protect, to keep the young wolf within her reach.The beat of the wolf’s paws pounds through the earth, faint yet distinct, and Lila’s muscles tense with every stride. She tries reaching out to the wolf through the mind-link, calling her despite not knowing her name, but the distance makes it impossible to connect. Her human’s panic flickers through their shared consciousness, tightening in her mind, urging Lila not to slow, not to give up. But Lila’s resolve is unwavering. She won’t fail.Suddenly, her pace falters. She skids to a stop, frozen mid-stride, as something strange washes over her — a powerful, magnetic pull tha
[MAGNUS]As I add the final strokes to the canvas, Alistair steps forward, his voice cutting through the quiet air of the gallery. “Lady Celia has arrived,” he informs me in his usual calm tone.I pause, setting the brush down with care. I step back, my gaze fixed on the painting in front of me, trying to soak in what I’ve just done. It feels strange — almost foreign — to stand here and look at something I’ve created with my own hands after all these years. A heavy sigh escapes me as I take in the finished piece. It is perfect, almost a replica.I can already picture Elara’s reaction. She will be pleased. She’ll smile — a smile I’ve rarely seen directed toward me, but one I’ve longed for more than I care to admit. And the thought of that smile, of seeing her light up with joy, stirs something inside me that I’ve kept buried for far too long.Happiness.It’s been so long since I’ve dared to pursue it. But now… now it feels like something I’m ready to bet on. Something I’m willing to ri
[ELARA]Ruelle insists on taking the horses instead of a palanquin, much to the distaste of Lady Celia. Despite all of her mother’s efforts to persuade her, Ruelle remains stubbornly set on her wish to ride into the forest, claiming, “I’ve grown up now, and I can make my own choices!”Lady Celia passes her a glare, but it dissolves as soon as Ruelle wraps her in an embrace. “You must let me make decisions now, mother. But that’s not to say my love or respect for you has diminished in any way. I will always love you and hold you in the highest regard.”For a moment, I hold my breath, expecting my mother-in-law to break out into tears. Her lower lip twitches and then she swallows hard, easing into the hug for a brief moment before letting go. “You’ll always be my little girl, Rue,” she manages to speak in a thick voice before clearing her throat and regaining the sharp edge in her tone. “Don’t flatter me now. It’s your night. Do what you wish.” As Ruelle hops onto the horse that the gua
[MAGNUS]The words I spoke to Elara this morning play over and over in my mind, like a song that refuses to stop, growing louder with each passing hour. They were true, every word, but now I wish I had kept my mouth shut. I should have turned around the moment I realized she was bathing. Creed, my wolf, growls in agreement, though he’s as conflicted as I am.But my heart didn’t listen to reason. I stayed. And for the first time in a long while, I let myself be completely vulnerable.I spoke. I gave voice to everything I’ve been holding back, and now I can’t stop thinking about how foolish it was to break the silence I’ve kept so carefully guarded. I let my walls down — walls I’ve built and reinforced over the years, since the day I lost Nyra. Nyra.Creed howls her name in my mind, stirring the old grief that I’ve learned to keep buried. I promised myself I would never forget her. She was my mate, my first and only love. How could I let myself think, even for a moment, that Elara coul
[ELARA] The royal gallery looms ahead of us, its grand doors slightly ajar, waiting to swallow us into its quiet, forgotten world — it’s a place where the very history of Caelondor is etched into the walls, immortalized in paintings and tapestries. And yet it is quiet. I’ve never understood why the residents of the palace don’t seem to appreciate this place more. Perhaps they’ve all been here too many times, their eyes no longer able to see its beauty. But for me, every visit feels like a discovery — a journey into the heart of the past. The sunlight through the window sends the colors of the stained glass dancing across the marble floor, but the gallery remains utterly still, devoid of life beyond us.Ruelle paces slowly in front of the stained-glass wall, her hands clasped in front of her as if holding herself together. She looks incredibly beautiful today, her features sharper, her eyes bluer despite the frown that doesn’t seem to fade. The stained glass wall paints her silhouet